Building a luxury brand online isn’t just about setting a price that makes it beyond the reach of most people. It involves maintaining the mystique and prestige that sets it apart. So, how does a luxury brand sustain and grow its image in the digital world that’s essentially a free-for-all? You hire someone like Erica Fox. As the social media strategist for Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, she knows how to keep luxury brands like Trump stay on top.

I asked Erica what experience in addition to her education in Communications armed her with the tools needed to work for one of the world’s most well-known luxury brands.

“After I finished school, I lived in Asia and ran a business out there because Asia is so digitally intensive and everything they do online is 10 years ahead of what Canada’s doing,” said Fox. “I gained a lot of experience in e-commerce and strategic digital outreach which helped grow my clients’ businesses.”
Fox explained that Trump executives wanted to take an entrepreneurial approach to many of the systems and operations within Trump. And because social media was a new avenue for Trump overall, they were drawn to her entrepreneurial approach and experience outside of Canada’s conservative market. “They handed over the reins because they really liked my communications, digital, and entrepreneurial background,” she added.

As a social media strategist, much of her day is spent on content creation, strategy development, and seminars – creating fresh, relevant content that falls within the brand’s rigid standards and educates other properties on ways to grow their engagement and use social media to build their businesses. In addition, she’s responsible for all research, writing, editing, photography, and evaluation for five of the Trump brands.
With a year at Trump under her belt, Erica admits that the job comes with many challenges. “This job has been a learning curve shaped like a wall like straight up. Every day is so different,” says Fox. Although, working for such a well-known brand does come with perks. “It’s incredible that I get to meet people who are such thought leaders in their own industries – whether it’s bankers, lawyers, or mining professionals. These people are at the forefront of progression and are changing systems and operations within those industries,” says Fox. She adds that her passion for fashion has made moments like working with fashion houses like Chanel and Dior unforgettable experiences.
When asked what social media platforms are most important to maintaining her brands, she said their importance depends on the objective. “Facebook and Twitter across all boards will always be our most valuable tools, since they allow us to build those relationships and engage our communities,” says Fox, adding that HootSuite is a management tool that she cannot live without.
When asked if she had any advice for those wanting to adopt a successful social strategy into their business, Fox said “As soon as you stop looking at social media as individual profiles and you start seeing how Facebook connects with Twitter, etc., it becomes a larger picture. It becomes a brand [with] an online experience as opposed to separate channels of acquisition.”